Clutch mechanism.



No. 819,421. PATENTED MAY 1, 1906.

. B. A. GRAMM.

CLUTCH MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29,1905.

/ VENTOI? ATTDHNE) WITNESSES:

gm 2am UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 1906.

Application filed November 29,1905. Serial No. 289,587-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN A. GRAMM,

a citizen of the United States, residing in Ohillicothe, in the county of Ross and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutch Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs.

My invention relates to improvements in clutch mechanisms; and the object of my invention is to provide a clutch mechanism of the sliding-cone type which shall be particularly adapted for use in automobiles and which-shall possess great power in proportion to its size.

Another object of my invention is to provide a clutch which shall be readily adjustable to take up wear and which shall be susr ceptible of fine adjustment.

A third object of my invention is to provide a clutch by means of which an automobile may be started very gradually in starting up steep grades.

Brlefly described, my new blutch mechanism is of the contracting-band type operated On the fly-whee of the by a slidable cone. motor is cast a flange, around the face of which is placed a steel band lined with Gandy belting, (or other suitable lining.) The ends of the steel bands on one side of the flange are attached to two levers or fingers pivoted near their middle, while at the other side of the flange the ends of the steel bands are connected by means of a turnbuckle provided with locking-nuts to secure the turnbuckle in any desired adjusted position. The inner ends of the fingers are forced together by a helical spring and carry rollers between which the cone is forced, thereby forcing the inner ends of the fingers outwardly and the outer ends inwardly to contract the band and throw the clutch into operative position.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of my invention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my new clutch mechanism, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line A A of Fig. 1.

Upon the motor-shaft a is mounted a fly wheel 1) formed with an inner flange c and an outer flange (1. Around the flange 0 extends a two-part steel band, one end of each of the parts e e of which is suitably secured to the outer end of one of a pair of fingers f, the other end of each of said parts e 0 being secured to a turnbuckle g by an ear h, threaded ,to engage therewith. Upon the ends of the turnbuckle g are lock-nuts i, adapted to secure the turnbuckle in any desired adjusted position. The steel band is lined with Gandy belting 9', preferably, which bears upon the outside of the flange c. Around the motor-shaft a is a sleeve 7c, which drives the transmission-gear of the automobile, and upon the sleeve k is slidably mounted a cone m, grooved to receive a suitable operating device. (Not shown.) Secur'ed to the sleeve 7c by a set-screw n is an arm or bracket 0, in the upper end of which arepivotally mounted the pair of fingers f. As previously described, the upper ends of these fingers f are secured to the ends of the steel band 6 e while the lower ends are forced together by a helical spring p and are provided with rollers g, between which the cone m is designed to be moved. Secured to the bracket 0 is a cross-piece r, which serves to hold the steel band in place upon the flange. The operation of my new clutch mechan ism will now be readily understood by all skilled in this art. When the cone m is forced by suitable mechanism (not shown) in between the rollers g to start the automobile, the lower ends of the fingers f are forced apart against the tension of the spring 1), and the upper ends of said fingers are forced toward each other, thereby tightening the steel band e 6 around the flange c and starting the bracket 0, andtherethrough the sleeve 7c, rotating. The sleeve 7c being connected with the transmission-gear (not shown) of the automobile, the latter is started. When the lining of the band becomes worn, the wear is taken up by rotating the turnbuckle in the proper direction to draw the ends of the parts e e of the steel band together, and the adjustment having been made the turnbuckle is secured in position by means of the locknuts 4;.

My new clutch mechanism has great contracting power in proportion to its size and is capable of starting an automobile very gradually, as the cone can be gradually forced in between the rollers upon the fingers which control the steel band. This gradual starting of the car is of great importance, especially in starting up a steep grade, for which my new clutch is particularly well adapted.

What I claim is- In a clutch mechanism, the combination of IIO formed with a flange; a two-part band adaptshaft; said spring; said turnbuckle; a bracket ed to be tightened around said flange, one u on which said levers are fulcruined; a pair of the opposed ends of said band being sl eeve mounted loosely upon said shaft and connected by a turnbuckle and the other pair secured to said bracket; and a cone slidable 15 of the opposed ends of said band being posi along said sleeve and adapted to enter betively secured to the ends of levers; a pair of tween said rollers to swing said levers and levers one end of each of which is positively tighten said band.

secured to one end of each art of said band, BENJAMIN A. GRAMlVI. the other end of each of saicl levers being con- Witnesses: nected bya spring, said levers being each pro- LUTHER J. HATHAWAY,

vided with a roller on opposite sides of said HARRY T. HERMANN. 

